Running is an activity that you either just love or hate. It’s either the activity you put up with or look forward to, often a bit of both at the same time. It’s literally one of the best form of cardiovascular activity but also a high-impact exercise that can take a toll on your joints. However, it’s great if your goal is to get fit and in shape. Truth is, running doesn’t have to be as hard as it seems! Here are some of tweaks to make running easier for you.
1. Do something new
Nothing can be more boring than running the same route every day, week after week, or even month after month. This is probably the time to switch things up and keep your workout completely fresh. A little variety will be just the thing to keep you completely motivated.
2. Engage your core
Engaging your abs muscles can take the strain off your back and reduce the movement of your upper body. This will help to reduce energy expenditure and place all the focus on the movement of your legs.
3. Have a coffee
A little bit of caffeine can give you the extra boost needed to get you over that finish line. You don’t exactly need a full cup, just a powerful shot of expresso will give you an infusion of caffeine without filling your stomach with liquid.
4. Break it down
Don’t imagine yourself running the entire 5 km or 10 km at once, but work in bits and pieces. Encourage yourself about where you’re going to reach one marker, then take a break to walk or jog slowly. Try as much as possible to break the run into shorter distances you an easily cover. The achievement of your goals will keep you motivated and running harder.
5. Be comfortable
Nothing ruins a run faster than discomfort in your shoes, pant, bra, underwear or shirt. You need to wear very comfortable clothing that will allow for good ventilation
6. Distract yourself
If you spend the entire run thinking about how tired you are, you’ll definitely feel tired. Distract yourself with an awesome song, let your mind simply wander, the pain and fatigue will fade into the background. Distract yourself and you will run faster.
7. Just run
Stop constantly checking your watch, heart rate monitor or pedometer, stop worrying about how far you’ve run or how much you have left to complete. Just focus on running, putting one foot in front of the other and just keep breathing steady.
Image Courtesy by: independent.co.uk,
